"The strangest vengeance ever planned!"
Touch of Evil - Movie Quotes
Memorable Quotes
He was some kind of a man. What does it matter what you say about people?
— Tanya
Context:
Spoken by Tanya to Schwartz after Quinlan's body is found in the polluted river.
Meaning:
The film's final line, serving as a complex eulogy. It acknowledges Quinlan's humanity and flawed greatness without excusing his crimes. It suggests that human existence is too complex for simple moral labels.
Your future is all used up.
— Tanya
Context:
Quinlan asks Tanya to read his fortune/cards when he visits her brothel, seeking comfort.
Meaning:
A fatalistic prediction that highlights the theme of inevitable doom. Quinlan belongs to a past era of policing and has no place in the modern world.
I don't speak Mexican.
— Hank Quinlan
Context:
Said dismissively to Vargas during their first confrontation at the scene of the bombing.
Meaning:
Illustrates Quinlan's overt racism and dismissal of Vargas, establishing the cultural conflict immediately.
A policeman's job is only easy in a police state.
— Mike Vargas
Context:
Vargas lecturing Quinlan on the importance of evidence and procedure.
Meaning:
The film's thesis statement on democracy and law. It underscores the difficulty and necessity of due process over convenient tyranny.